I’m just an amateur photographer, so sometimes great opportunities for marvelous shots are lost due to my inexperience. This was the case recently when a spectacular heron modeled for me, but all my shots alas, came out blurry. A photo disappointment for sure, but grist for some watercolor sketches. Step 1 and 2 below.
Elenacaravela's Blog 
Lovely painting, great colours.
Thank you:)
A multi-talented artist. You’ve enhanced their beauty to another level. Mesmerizing!
Sometimes not being able to get a photo is a gift; it forces us to use our powers of memory, & that, combined with imagination, results in something wonderful!
So true:) Thanks.
Oh…he looks like a grand old fellow! Sometimes it happens just that way..without the blurry photo this lovely painting may not have been created! 🙂
A happy accident. Thanks Shree!
Love it ! and I would very much like to photograph a heron this colour 😉
I’d love to get a decent shot of any color heron! 🙂
haha !
Your watercolors are magical. Love..love..love!!!
Thanks so much Marcie!
Technique is something that we can always learn but talent comes from inside.
You are exceptionally talented and I admired you for that.
Thanks you very very much Marcelo. I feel the same about your work.
Is this a coo-coo bird, because I’m coo-coo for this. The colors are fabulous and the brushwork is amazing.
Thank you Jill!
Nice Heron! Always better to capture visual inspiration with a vibrant sketch than a camera, I say. (maybe that’s the comment of a bad photographer 🙂 ) But I’m the same as you. So much easier and more satisfying to pull out the water colours I find. Like your blog!
Thank you!
Brilliant! These lovely large birds need a bit of vibrance and your watercolors gave them life through your creative painting, look at the personality now!
He was a real ham:) Thanks Mary!
Gorgeous Heron, he looks like he’s on stage about to fling his cape around!
He strutted about like he was on stage:) Thanks!
awesome colors!
Thanks Angela!
O my gosh this is beautiful!
Thank you Kevin!
Gorgeous color!
Thank you Micah!
Gorgeous color and such a beautiful and wonderfully gawky creature!
Thanks Cindy!
That heron would have ruled in the 1970s! Beautiful sketch.
🙂 Groovy Richard 🙂
🙂
Wow, what the best dressed Heron is wearing, and such fabulous legs!
🙂 Thanks Patti!
Very nice painting, dear Elena! I love the colors you’ve chosen. You are very talented! Thank you so much for, share, with us your work!
Have a wonderful day! Big hugs, much love, Stefania! 🙂
Thanks Stefania:)
Great legs! : )
That heron has oodles of character, Elena. Almost looks like it is wearing a feather boa – love it!
He was fluffing all over the place, showing off! Thanks Karen
Who needs to photograph when you can make water colour pictures like this? Awesome. The first heron is really showing itself off. Fantastic lively and full of character. And great colours.
Thanks Otto
My thoughts exactly Otto … a photograph would have to be simply spectacular to outdo the beauty and life of this watercolour sketch Elena 🙂
Aw, thanks so much! But I still envy both of you, your superlative photographic talents!
It is beautiful Elena!!!! You can never put aside a pic…You can find inspiration anywhere!!!
True! Inspiration is everywhere. Thank you!
Lovely – looks as though he is about to throw his cape over his shoulder and off to do battle … or maybe just show off his beautiful plumage!
Anna, you should have seen him in person. It was almost surreal to watch him!
I love the wing position, it looks like it is rockin’ a feather boa or sporting a lovely fur coat. 🙂
Thanks Sheri! This guy really looked something like this while fluffing his feathers.
To bad you didn’t get the shot, perhaps some other time. The painting looks great though!
Thank you!
hooray for blurry pictures we got something lovely out of it!!!!
Thank you Holly:)
Stunning 🙂
Thank you Allyson Marie!
You almost certainly captured more of the ‘essence’ of the heron than you would have done with a frozen photographic image.
Quite true Louis.
Quite beautiful. I’d love to see that heron in my yard.
Thank you. I hope he comes back.
I imagine a heron like that in my garden it would be marvelous exciting! 😉
🙂
Well I enjoy your photography too, but I really really love your water colors! This is awesome!
Thanks very much Robin!
He is the *Dandiest* Heron I ever saw Elena !
Truly lovely .
Thanks Poppy:)
I loved it… Your watercolor talent is amazing. Thanks and Love, nia
Thanks very much Nia.
that’s a fabulous heron painting! sketch?! he’s gorgeous!
Thank you!
Please forgive me for saying this, but i am very glad your photos came out blurry, as it resulted to this vivid and colorful watercolor. Mind you, no photo could have been that delightful anyway!
🙂
Thanks very kind Marina. Thanks much!
A new superhero?
Could be:)
She’s gorgeous!
Thank you John!
Thank you for sharing that!
My pleasure Elisa!
Nice!
Thanks!
Wow, pretty intimidating great Heron !
(by the way, blurred photo is not necessary bad photo 😉 )
Thanks Yoshi, but mine were:)
Great Blue Herons always remind me of grandfathers…gray and bandy-legged with a neck that looks like an old, protruding Adam’s apple.
True Scilla:)
Wonderful sketch! I love the colors
Thank you Sofia!
There is so much motion in that watercolor.
Thanks Ron.
I read your bio, you are doing really well.